


Demons Left  Behind By Past Sins

by Sa1989



Series: Past [1]
Category: Numb3rs (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 19:20:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19091455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sa1989/pseuds/Sa1989
Summary: Follows on from The Past Can Hurt





	Demons Left  Behind By Past Sins

AN/ I DON'T OWN NUMBER NEVER WILL

AN/ I SORRY ABOUT THE FORMATTING MY COMPUTER IS BEING GAY AND IT WON'T LET ME CHANGE IT

WARRINGS THIS FIC DEALS WITH CUTTING AND SUICIDE SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ IT IT'S OKAY AND IF YOU FEEL I HAVN'T BEEN RESPECT FLAME ME BECAUSE I NOT MEANT TO DEALT WITH AS A JOKE I HOPE I HAVN'T

ALSO GIVE A HAND TO Curtisbrothersfan FOR BEATING THE MISTAKES OUT NOW ON WITH THE SHOW

PRESENT DEMONS LEFT BEHIND BY PAST SINS

CHARLIE'S POV

I walk through the streets of L.A. thinking about all

That's happened over the past week since I moved out

of our house. Aunt Sarah was arrested for the murder

of my real mother, there are reporters who keep trying

to talk to Dad and Don and my face is all over the

news and paper. As I approach CalSci, I see students

talking and laughing with one another. I try to smile

but as I look on, I feel a pain in my heart. That's

what I miss most, talking to Dad and joking with Don,

but it can never go back to the way it was.

I meet up with Larry on my way to my office.

"Hey, it's Tuesday. That means it's poker night. Want

to go?" asked Larry.

"But you don't play poker," I tell him, then he gives

me a look like I have missed the whole point.

"Charles, I may not play poker but your father does."

Now I get it. He is trying to get me to speak to Dad.

"Larry, you know I can't go back there," I say.

"Why not?" Larry asks me.

"Because I'm just a burden to them, like when I was a

kid I needed special classes and that was so hard on

Mum and Dad, and when I went to college I took Mum

away from them and now they have reporters after them

and Dad has lost his sister and it's all because of

me."

"Look, I think you should talk to them-"

"You know, just forget it. They're better off without

me!" I yell at him as I start to walk away from him.

He just can't understand the pain I have caused to Dad

and Don.

When I get to my office, I move to my blackboard to

plan my lesson for this afternoon. My class is filling

up, I get more and more people each day wanting to see

the worthless freak.

DON'S POV

I have read the last paragraph five times and I can't

understand it. I can't help but worry about Charlie.

It's been a week since I saw or spoke to him. I have

been getting updates from Larry who says Charlie is

building a wall around himself and won't talk to

anyone for long. It spooks me how he is cutting

himself off from the world. I know he has done this

before but this time I don't know. It just feels

different somehow. I see Megan walking towards me.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask her, trying to sound normal

and failing.

"We just got a case," said Megan. Like always, she is

profiling me as we talk. It's nice to know some things

will never change.

"So, let's go and brief the team," I said as I walk by

her. I know I can use this case as an excuse to see

Charlie. Once we're all together, Megan started to

brief us.

"We have six dead girls, each murdered in their homes.

The killer used an AK 47 to kill his victims and left

them on the back door step with photos of the victims

shucked all over the door. It seems he stalks his

victims before he kills them."

"Is there a link between the victims?" asked David.

"None yet," Megan reported.

"Well, you guys work on that while I see Charlie," I

ordered before I left. I drove to CalSci in complete

silence. When I got to CalSci, I found Charlie in his

office. He looked like a wreck. His hair was a mess,

the spark in his eyes had gone out and he looked like

he hadn't slept for a week.

"Hey, Buddy, I need your help on a case," I tell him

to break the ice.

"Fine. Just leave the file on the desk," he said

without even looking at me.

"Hey, Buddy, I didn't mean-" I started to tell him

that I did still care about him but he cut me off.

"Look, you did what you came here to do, so just get

out. Leave," he yelled at me, so I did that. How could

I let our relationship breakdown this much? I better

go and see Larry and talk to him about it.

LARRY'S POV

I see Don walking to me with a puzzled look on his

face. My guess is that he is looking for Charles.

"If you're looking for Charles, he's in his office," I

tell him when I get close enough for him to hear me.

"Thanks, but from what I have just seen, that's what I

need to talk to you about," he says to me. His voice

portrays his worries and sadness.

"I am guessing he was a bit snappy?" It wasn't really

a question more like a statement.

"Yeah, I asked for his help on a case and he thought

that I don't care about him and I was just using him,"

he tells me. I better not tell him what Charlie told

me earlier. It would just worry him more.

"Tell you what, I will give him time to cool off and

then talk to him," I say, trying to get out of this

black hole that is between the brothers.

This seems to satisfy Don, so he leaves.

After lunch, I go to see Charles and found him sitting

in the corner of his office, shaking. I try to touch

him as avway to calm him down, but he just pushes

himself closer to the wall.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me for being a worthless

freak, please, please," I hear him say under his

breath.

I can feel a few tears running down my face. It's like

he has had a breakdown. I don't know how to help him.

Maybe I should call Alan or Don, but Charles would

never forgive me for letting them see him like this.

MEGAN'S P.O.V.

I'm going over all the victims' files and there is no

common links, none share the same bank, doctor, café'

fray or work place. These seem like random attacks but

serial kills always kill seminar victims so there must

something I'm over-looking. I hear my phone ringing.

"Agent Reeves speaking," I say.

"Hi, Megan, it's Larry." I feel myself smiling when I

hear his voice. Isn't it funny even if you're having a

bad day, a call from your partner can make it all

better?

"What's up?" I ask him.

"I need your help. It's Charles. He's having a

breakdown and I don't know what to do or how to help

him." I hear panic in his voice.

"Maybe you should call Don," I say trying to help.

"I know, but Charles would never forgive me for

letting him be seen like that by a family member." His

talking fastens.

"Look, I did a psychology course so I might be able to

pin-point the problem, if I talk to him," I offer,

trying to calm him.

"Would you? I know you're busy but-"

I cut him off. "No, it's fine. I will be there in half

an hour," I say as I hang up.

When I arrived at Charlie's office and saw him, I knew

Larry hadn't been overreacting. He was white as a

ghost and talking to himself, Larry had left us alone

because he had a class. I sat down next to Charlie.

"Do you want to talk?" I ask, letting Charlie take his

time.

"Why are you here?" I can barely hear his voice. It's

no more than a whisper.

"Larry called me. He's worried about you," I tell him.

"He shouldn't." I can detect a hint of anger in his

voice but it's mostly sadness.

"Why is that?" I say trying not to push him.

"Because I'm just a worthless freak!" he yells at me.

"You don't really believe that?" I hope like hell he

doesn't.

"Yeah, what else can I believe when I have caused

nothing but pain to my family my whole life? Then

there's the fact I was the reason my real mother was

murdered and I am the one who cost Dad his sister!" he

yells back at me.

"Has your father or brother ever told you that they

hate you or said you're worthless?" I ask, trying to

make him see that people do care about him. It loks

like Charlie has depression and if he doesn't get

help, it's only going to get worse.

"No, because they don't have the guts. But Aunt Sarah

does."

"What do you mean by that?" He's not making sense.

"She has been calling me every night telling that I'm

nothing, that Dad would have thrown me out years ago

if he didn't feel so sorry for me and the world would

be better off without me!" he yells as he walks out. I

go to grab his arm, but then I see cut marks across

his arms. I let go and he runs out.

ALAN'S P.O.V.

"Oh, man, there goes my money down the drain," I think

to myself as the last buzzer sounds to mark the end of

the game. I give up and walk into the kitchen getting

ready to cook dinner. I make enough for three people

in case Charlie comes home. It's been over a week now,

and I just wish he would call to let us know he's

okay. But I can't blame him after how I reacted. I

jump when I hear the phone ringing.

"Daddy," I hear Don say, I can tell he's crying by the

sound of his voice.

"Donny are you okay?" I'm worried because he has not

called me "daddy" in a long time.

"No, it's Ch-Ch-Charlie. He's in hospital. Just get

down here fast," he says with no emotion in his voice.

A cold chill goes up my spine. I hang up and run to my

car. It takes me half an hour to drive there because I

got pulled over for speeding and when I arrive I ask a

nurse what room Charlie is in. When I get there, I see

Don curled up into a ball next to Charlie's bed and I

go over to talk to him.

"Don, what's going on?" I ask, fearing the answer.

"Dad, I'm so sorry. It's Charlie. He OD'd on P.C.P.

and the doctor thinks he tried to kill himself." I

hear him say it, but I can't believe it.

I pull him into a hug, not wanting to ever let go. How

could this happen to poor innocent Charlie?

We sit there, hoping that he will pull through. The

hours tick away as we hear nothing but the beeping of

the heart monitor and the shallow breathing of the one

we love, as he loses the battle. Donny had cried

himself to sleep but I couldn't sleep knowing I would

have nightmares of Charlie. The nurse kept asking me

if they could do anything and if I was okay. Of course

I'm not. My son is slipping away and every time they

ask me, it just reminds me of that fact. About two in

the morning, Sarah stopped by to check.

"Alan, I'm so sorry. Don called me. What the hell

happened?" I can hear her say.

"He tried to take his own life," I tell her without

taking my eyes off him.

"Oh, Alan. Can I do anything?" she asks me.

"No. Just leave me alone to spend whatever time I have

left with him," I say, overcome with grief.

CHARLIE'S P.O.V.

I wake to the sound of Don crying. I try to tell him

that I'm alright, but it came out as a moan. What's

going on? Why can't I feel my body? I see Dad going to

get a doctor and Don grabs my hand to calm me down.

But I can't help the rising panic within me. I don't

know if she is here or not. But what if she comes

back, and what if they won't believe me about what

happen?

"Calm down, Buddy. Nobody is going to hurt you. We're

here," I hear Don say, but if that's true, why is he

holding me down? Then I see dad come back with the

doctor.

"Okay, Mr. Eppes, we need you to calm down," I hear

him say while trying to put a needle in my arm. I want

to fight him but I can't move my body. As the drugs

flow through my system, I begin to feel more calm and

relax.

"Mr. Eppes, some of the side effects of P.C.P. are

estrangement from your surroundings, numbness, slurred

speech, and involuntary movements, in other words,

shaking. And that's why we're going to give you a mild

sedative every couple of hours to control these side

effects. Blink if you understand," I hear him say. I

blink quickly to show my understanding.

"Okay. I'm going to give you pen and paper so you can

commutate. Is that all right with you?" I blink again

and he hands me the piece of paper and a pen.

"Charlie, can you tell us why you tried to kill

yourself, and why didn't you come to us or Larry or

anyone?" he asks in a worried voice.

I write, "I didn't know that." They won't believe me,

but I still have to make them understand.

"The doctor said that you couldn't inject that much by

mistake," Dad tells me.

Then I write, "I know" but then he cuts me off.

"Then what? Do you know how dangerous P.C.P. is? I

don't understand!" Dad keeps on yelling at me, but I

block him out. I write a note to Don and I give it to

him. As soon as he reads it, his eyes go hard and

cold, then he tells me, "I believe you and I swear to

you I will find proof." Then he leaves. I feel a bit

more relaxed knowing he believes me.

DON'S P.O.V.

As soon as I read the note, I felt red hot anger rise

within me. I couldn't believe it. I mean, I do, but I

don't. I just had to get out of that room. I can't let

Charlie see the anger in my eyes because Charlie may

think it's directed at him. As I drive back to the

office I can barely see the road through my tears,

tears of regret for not being there for Charlie and

for not protecting him. I want to scream and shout to

let the rage out but I have to find proof. I need to

convince the doctors not to put Charlie in the psych

ward, as they had told us they would do when he was

admitted because that's procedural with cases of

attempted suicide. As I enter the parking lot, I find

anger being replaced with fear, fear of not being able

to prove what Charlie had told me and fear of what it

would do to him if I failed to prove it. I walk into

the building and see David working at his desk. I

order him to get the others and meet back at my desk.

I try to keep my emotions under control but it's hard

after what has happen over the last two weeks. I don't

know how much more our family can handle.

"Hey, Don, David said that you wanted us," I hear

Megan say and it pulls me out of my daze.

"Yeah, I did. I need to tell you something, but don't

speak before I have finished because it's hard for me

to talk about it, okay?" I say and they nod. Then I

start the story.

"Last night, I went by the hotel to see Charlie

because I was worried after Megan told me he was

cutting and seem to be on the edge. I found him. He

had overdosed on P.C.P. and the doctor said he tried

to take his own life, and I just believed them. I

thought my baby brother had tried to commit suicide,

but when he woke, he told me someone had held him down

and pumped him full of P.C.P." I break off crying,

thinking of how my baby brother must have felt being

pinned to the bed while someone he thought he could

trust was trying to kill him. The team looks like

they're in pure shock.

"Oh my god... I mean, is he okay?" Colby says,

speechless.

"No. That's why I want you and David to cover the

hotel and fine proof that will put this bitch away," I

say a bit more harshly than I meant but I feel the

rage coming back.

"Did he get a good look?" asked Megan.

"I know who did it, but can't tell you. I don't want

to give her any chance of getting away with it," I

say.

I hate this. I hate the fact that my brother has

become a case and there's nothing I can do to take the

pain away.

When David and Colby have left, Megan asks me if I

want her to write a report on the last time she spoke

to him. I just nod and head to get a cup of tea. Then

I go to my desk and look at some websites about P.C.P.

I just want to feel like I am doing something but

there's nothing I can say or do to help him. It would

be so easy if I could turn off the big brother part of

me. then I wouldn't feel this amount of rage or guilt.

I just can't understand why Aunt Sarah would do this

to him. Then I hear my cell ringing. I look at the

caller id and notice it's Dad's.

"Dad, is Charlie okay?" I feel the panic rise.

"Don, he is freaking out. He is calling out for you,"

I hear Dad say.

"What happened to upset him?" I ask, trying to calm

him down.

"I don't know. I left him for a second and when Sarah

and I came back-"

I cut him off. "What? Aunt Sarah is there? Dad, get

back to him and don't leave his side until I get

there!"

I yell at him and hung up. I feel like a bomb has gone

off inside me. I yell for Megan to come with me, then

I run out. I'm blinded by pure hate for her. I hope I

don't get there too late. I speed off from the parking

lot, barely giving Megan enough time to get in. When I

get to his room, I see her sitting next to him. I just

lose control.

"Get away from him," I say to her, keeping my voice

low and dangerous.

"Is there a problem?" I hear her say in a calm voice

and I feel sick.

"Yeah, get out before I kill you," I say without any

hint of remorse, because if she ever hurts him again I

will kill her.

"Don, calm down. What is this all about?" I hear Dad

ask, but I don't answer because I have to focus on

protecting Charlie.

It's Megan who answers him. "I'm sorry, but Charlie

didn't try to take his own life. Sarah tried to kill

him."

Dad goes into shock at this statement. Then Megan

grabs her and leads her away. But before Sarah leaves,

she tells Charlie that he will be locked up in the nut

house forever.

I hurry to take Charlie into my arms and hug him while

Dad says, "It's going to be okay, Son. We know you're

not crazy and we are going to help you leave this

behind you."

I don't know how long we sat there together, holding

each other, but it doesn't matter. He will never be

able to leave this behind him because we all carry

demons left behind by past sins.


End file.
